Lee Pemberton in his opening Keynote Address gave some insights into where he sees carpet cleaning going in the next few years. There were many interesting observations in This discussion. Here are a few of the things that Lee touched on.
1) Lee stated that some of the current cleaning chemicals are contributing to algae blooms in waterways that are overburdened with nutrients. Ruth Travis followed Lee and she also made mention of cleaners that are being fined for improper disposal of waste water.
2) Lee also encouraged cleaners to become aware of changes in technology in our industry.
3) He commented on carpet manufacturers who are now cleaning carpet.
4) Lee recommended that being able to clean & dry carpet promptly provides a "marketing advantage".
5) He suggested "niche marketing" – don’t spray your marketing over too wide of an area.
I was pleased to see that the Keynote Address focused on several areas that many of us are aware of and are already addressing in our businesses.
The entire convention was extremely interesting! There were parts on the program, and classes by some of the brightest minds in our industry. I found plenty of valuable information that I could use in my business.
One of the highly enjoyable parts of this convention was hearing Doyle Bloss conduct a part entitled “Things We Learned From Our Dad”. Ralph Bloss was a noteworthy industry leader, and it was moving to hear Doyle’s expressions about the meaningful impact that Ralph’s life had on many in this industry.
On Saturday morning I enjoyed discussing the benefits of encapsulation in a panel discussion entitled “Encapsulation, Key to Commercial Success” The panel included – Scott Warrington, Doyle Bloss, Scott Rendall, and myself. The discussion and the question and answer session that followed was enthusiastically received.
I want to say thanks to all who contributed to making this year’s ISCT Convention a GREAT one!
Rick Gelinas
